Yes, cleaning may be one of the easiest businesses to start. However, without good initial planning and a bit of creativity, your business could be heading for a fall even before you start.
From my over 15 years experience of running a cleaning business, I can suggest one or 2 things for new entrants into the business:
Decide on What Type of Cleaning Business You would like Run
Broadly speaking there are 2 key types of cleaning business. They are both as lucrative as each other.
Residential Cleaning - This when you clean for private clients in their homes. You do not not need a lot of money (initial outlay) or paperwork to start this.
Commercial Cleaning - This is when you offer your cleaning services to Organisations and Companies. They are a bit more demanding and require you to have certain documentation in place before they can work with you. Companies/Organisations take time to agree contracts but once they do, contracts tend to be longer and a lot more steady.
Decide on Location and study the buying habits of your would be clients
Target areas where you know people are more likely to need and be able to afford the service. With regards to residential cleaning, people always like to come back to a clean home after a days work. So you would be looking for areas where people are more likely to go out and earn money
Branding
Remember, presentation is key! People would perceive your business as successful if you present it as such. Your website must be nice and simple. Settle on a corporate colour, logo and make sure you have standardised approach to how you present your business. People must be able to recognise your business because of the impression you have left on them.
Marketing:
This is perhaps the most important as aspect of the business apart from the quality of the service itself. You need to get your business in front of the buyer. There are several ways to do this but I would only touch very quickly on one or two ways.
Leaflet Distribution: You can do this yourself or get someone else to do this for you. Make sure your message is brief, simple and devoid of jargons.
Internet Promotion: Promote your business on social media and on the internet as a whole
Small Value Contracts: Look for small value contracts in your area. These are contracts below £50,000 in value, companies without a lot of trading history behind them can start with these type of contracts.
I will not bore you with too many details. if you need further details please pm me. I am the Operations Director for an
Office Cleaning London, a London, UK based cleaning company. We can help you out with your website, stationery, templates and tips on how to start your cleaning business at a cost.